Person working on content strategy.
Content marketing seems simple, right? Publish some engaging blog posts, upload some engaging videos and maybe throw in some infographics for good measure. But if it was really easy, every marketing leader would be charged online content development will see the ROI they dream of. Unfortunately, the reality is much more frightening.
Putting your content ideas out there for audiences to see doesn’t mean they will. Even if they do, the pieces your team worked hard to create must be relevant and timely to work. Complicating matters is the fact that what resonates today may not necessarily do so tomorrow. As a result, most marketers need to shake up their strategies from time to time. If you want to breathe new life into your strategy, here are four tips to try.
1. Match SEO to Audience Interests
Your content strategy is incomplete without using search engine optimization. But a common mistake is to direct your focus to company-oriented SEO tactics. What does this mean, exactly? Well, it usually looks like keyword research that just includes a list of high-ranking phrases.
While you don’t want to aim too low, there’s more to creating successful content than ranking for keywords at the top of a list. Who’s to say those phrases match your audience’s search intent? Maybe the words don’t even align with your business goals and areas of expertise.
Content and SEO may be related, but it’s more important to consider the big picture. You are more likely to discover a winning formula when you match selected keywords with the information your audience is seeking. To do this, start by determining who your audience is and what topics they are looking for.
2. Expand Partnerships
Finished 75% of brands allocate influencer marketing budgets. But not all partnerships have a positive impact on ROI. Influencer posts announcing new products reduce ROI by 30.5%, while originality increases it by 15.5%. Other factors, such as the number of followers and posts with brand links, also increase ROI.
Surprisingly, you won’t get the best results from an influencer who seems to fit your brand like a glove. Instead, optimal follower-brand fit is governed by what researchers call the “Goldilocks effect”—not too little and not too much. If an influencer’s followers are highly aligned with your brand, they may have been inundated with content similar to yours. If the alignment is too small, your content won’t matter to them.
Expanding your partnerships with “just the right” influencers can expose your brand to new leads with a balanced interest in your offerings. Say your company sells financial services, including retirement accounts. Instead of limiting the partnership to thought leaders in the same space, try branching out to those with an audience interested in passive income. That way, you won’t be competing in the same space and overloading consumers with repetitive content.
3. Experiment With New Platforms
You can create intriguing content all day long. But it won’t do its job if it’s not in the right place at the right time. In the world of digital marketing, publishing your pieces on the right platform is key. It’s like choosing the radio stations your target market listens to.
Posting content on social platforms and channels where your audience members don’t hang out means you’re not giving posts a fair chance. Content about your new energy drink is likely to get more traction on TikTok than on Facebook. The opposite is true if you are marketing timeshares in retirement.
If your posts aren’t getting the response you expect, you may need to mix up your distribution strategy. Check where your markets are and meet them there. Also, pay attention to changes in audience preferences, platforms pertaining to upcoming markets and new impactful channels.
4. Refine the Message
Content marketing can be a cost-effective way to increase revenue, but it is highly competitive. There are many amazing things in the digital jungle for people to find. However, they will not consider it all worth their time.
Another reason why content performs poorly is that it doesn’t add value. Competitive consumer marketers are smart but have short attention spans. They will be turned off by content that seems disconnected from a brand’s purpose. People also don’t want to interact with the same information they’ve seen before.
While expanding your content calendar may seem like a good idea, make sure those slots emphasize quality over quantity. Publishing more pieces is usually not the solution to lackluster performance. More than likely, your content isn’t adding to the conversation in a convincing, helpful way. Go back to the drawing board to find areas of interest to your market and your brand’s purpose bump into
Do not give up
Creating high-performing content is not as simple as it looks. Developing effective strategies is a science and an art. You can’t overlook the basics, but you must also be prepared to interpret what your audience’s behaviors are saying. When you do this, your content gets a new lease on life.